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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta believes the club must strengthen in the January transfer window to remain highly competitive
Arsenal boss, Mikel Arteta has said that Arsenal cannot afford to waste the January transfer window by not strengthening the team.
Arsenal must be active in the January window
The league leaders lost Gabriel Jesus to a knee injury suffered while playing for Brazil at the World Cup in Qatar, leaving them without a key inspiration behind their title charge.
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The former Manchester City striker has been a phenomenal signing for Arsenal and will clearly be a big miss. His energy, pressing and ball retention are fundamental assets for Mikel Arteta and the Spaniard wants his team to find solutions.
“We are going to be active and active means we are looking to strengthen the team,” said Arteta, whose side had a mid-season break that included winning the four-team Dubai Super Cup tournament.
“This squad still does not have the luxury of not maximising every single window. We have to do that because it is really important. But then we have to get the right profile, it has to be the right player to take us to the next level.”
No return date for Gabriel Jesus
The first reports that surfaced after Jesus got injured, indicated a return date sometime in March but Recent reports have now placed the date as mid-February but his manager refused to set a timescale.
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“A season has its challenges, and that is a challenge we have to overcome but if you are going to be at the top there are going to be those challenges,” he said. “Knowing him, I prefer not to give any dates. It is going to take time, for sure. He has had surgery, that tells you the extent of the injury.”
Arteta offers squad fitness update
Arsenal defender, William Saliba returns to training on Friday after he played less than 30 minutes in a walk-on part as France reached the World Cup final, meaning Arteta has a full complement of returnees from Qatar
“They were all fine,” said the manager. “Some came earlier than expected and they were buzzing to be back and part of it. I feel really good energy around the place. They have got straight away into the rhythm and what we want.”
What next for Arsenal?
Before the transfer window opens on 1 January, Arsenal must overcome the difficult challenge of West Ham, managed by David Moyes, before a New Years Eve game at Brighton.
Arteta will be hoping his team can carry on with the excellent form they showed before the league went on break, especially with Manchester City breathing down their necks.
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